The Head Girl
by angelbreaker
Summary: Harry and Ron have got girlfriends and Hermione feels very out of place. When she becomes Head Girl and gets a place of her own, she is determined to change
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I don't own them, I have just taken over their fates for a collection of stories that keep annoying me.

A/N: This chapter is very rambling and pointless, but bare with it, it's just setting the scene for the story.

Hermione sighed as she stared out the window of her boring, muggle house. She longed to get back to Hogwarts, but she still had three weeks left of summer. She had tried to stretch her homework out, so that she would be able to do something with her magic, but she had finished it all yesterday. Crookshanks leapt onto her bed and she stroked him fondly. 

"Oh Crookshanks, are you missing them too." He purred and rubbed his head on her arm. She played with his ears for a time, then went to her wardrobe and got out her trunk. Her wand was on top of her other things, and she got it out and played with it. She flicked it about a bit, although obviously she didn't do any magic.

She sighed again, and ran her fingers over the thin piece of wood. This wand had saved hers and Harry and Ron's lives so many times in the last six years. But now she was approaching her last year in school and she felt she had grown up in that time. She took a look at herself in the mirror. She had had her hair straightened and had blonde streaks put into it. She found herself wearing clothes like figure-hugging hipsters and tube tops more and more. She had definitely changed from the frumpy know-it-all of six years ago.

She wondered what Ron and Harry were going to day when they saw her new image, as she played with her belly button stud. She had decided to change the way she looked because she was bored of no one ever noticing her. Everyone she knew had had a serious relationship at some point in his or her lives. Ron and Parvati were inseparable and Harry had even had a whirlwind romance with Cho. She had felt frumpy and unwanted in her armchair alone, whilst her two best friends sat on the sofa with their arms around their girlfriends.

She had thrown herself into her studies, even more than she had done before, learning new charms and spells, researching so many potions even Snape had to be impressed with her. She had practically single-handily won the house cup for Gryfindor with the amount of points she had won in classes. Harry and Ron had never noticed this strange behaviour, being so wrapped up in their own happiness.

Now she yearned more than ever to be back in the castle, so she can make herself a better witch. But for now all she could do was wait for her supply list. Now that Voldemort was dead, Harry had gone to stay with Ron for the summer, she was happy for him of course, she had never enjoyed her summer when she thought of him with those awful relatives, but she couldn't help but feel left out, as if they now they had started dated, there was no place for her in their lives anymore.

She wandered about stairs to where her father was reading the newspaper. He looked at her fondly and said, "How's my favourite witch?" She smiled, her parents were both very proud of her abilities, although of course they never told anyone about her, but merely passed away her long absences as her being away at a boarding school for gifted children. No one ever questioned this, as she was well known for her intelligence.

"Hermione!" her mother called her from the other room. "There's a letter from your school here! Hermione rushed into the kitchen, where her mother was stroking the feathers of a large tawny owl. She handed her the letter and Hermione opened it hungrily. Two letters fell out.

One was the usual supply list and Hermione laid it aside as she opened the other one. She screamed and jumped up and down, causing the tawny owl to ruffle its feathers and swoop out of the window. 

"Mum! Mum! I'm Head Girl! I'm Head Girl!" Her dad came in to see what all the commotion was about, only to find the girls jumping up and down with glee. From their hysterical shouting, he managed to find out one thing; Hermione had been chosen for Head Girl.

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A/N: Yes I know it was boring but chin up! It's read now and we can get onto the good old-fashioned teenage fic. Angelbreaker style (heh heh) *enjoys Hermione's worried look*

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	2. Diagon Alley

A/N: The last chapter was boring…but this one gets more into the story, which, as I'm writing ahead because I hate people who never finish stories (looks innocently at very old first chapter of Tiniwiel) has a lot of twists and turns and a very weird ending, haven't got that far yet though. So keep reading!

Chapter Two - Diagon alley

Hermione put her sunglasses over her eyes as she entered Diagon Alley. Her parents were very busy, a new kind of sweet had become very popular and her parents were rushed off their feet with fillings and cavities. So Hermione had got the train into London and had gone shopping alone.

In a way it was nice, she hadn't seen her parents much over the last six years, what with school, and delighted in their company. But the whole magic part of her life didn't really involve them at all, and although they were supportive, then didn't really understand the way it worked.

She wandered down the street, taking in the smell of the apothecary, the sounds of the animals and, most of all, the people going up and down the street. Many were Hogwarts students, walking and talking with their friends, buying their supplies. She had arranged to meet up with Harry and Ron outside Gringotts in about ten minutes. So she had time to wander around the stalls and gaze at all the magical things.

She didn't really need to get any money out, her parents had arranged for a vast amount of muggle money to be changed to wizard gold for her, as a present for being Head Girl. She smiled as she pictured the look of pride on her parent's faces when she had shown them her badge.

She saw Harry and Ron coming out of the sports shop, talking animatedly about some broomstick or other, and she ducked into a shop. She got out her compact and checked her make-up; she wanted to look perfect when she surprised them. She was wearing some pink Capri pants and a black spaghetti strap top. She smoothed her hair down, and then casually walked out of the shop, right in front of them.

They walked straight past her. They didn't even notice her. She puffed up with anger, of all the ways she'd imagined their reaction, ignoring her was not one. She called with casual surprise, "Hi!" They stopped and looked at her oddly. 

"Hi," said Ron, an odd look on his face, as is trying to remember from where he remembered her. Then his face lit up with surprise and joy and she beamed, he'd recognised her. Harry's expression was identical. They rushed towards her…and past her. She whirled around to see Parvati and Ron kissing and Lavender and Harry embracing. The boys wrapped their arms around their respective girlfriends and headed down the street, leaving Hermione standing there, unwanted.

She stood there awkwardly for a second, wanting to cry, but didn't. This would only make the surprise even more delightful when they met her at Gringotts. She went there immediately; it was almost time to meet with them anyway.

An hour of bored waiting later, Hermione wandered down the streets tired, hungry and alone. They hadn't turned up, she would have to go and get her supplies alone. First she needed a chocolate fix to pick herself out of her slump. She ambled down the streets to her favourite little café, only to find her four friends drinking milkshakes and talking quietly. Ron looked up at her as she passed their table, and her heart leapt, maybe he recognised her. But no, he merely gave her that odd smile he had given her before and turned back to Parvati.

She bought a hot chocolate with extra cream and sat in the table furthest away from her friends. She felt like going over there and telling them who she was, but she only hid behind her sunglasses and cried. They didn't recognise her, she didn't look that different, she was just slightly slimmer and her hair was straight. She doubted whether they would recognise her anyway.

She went into the Robe store, and bought some black robes for lessons. Then she went into the dress robe's section. She needed a variety of dress robes because it was in the duties of the Head Girl and Boy to welcome guests to the school and open the balls. She chose a baby blue one; a rich red one and a velvet green one. She also, after careful consideration, got a shimmering purple one. She went to try them on, and found Ron and Harry sitting outside the dressing rooms, looking bored. 

She smiled at them and they merely nodded. She pulled back the curtain and went inside, finding a cubicle and changing into the blue one. She liked the way it hung on her, and she went out of the cubicle to see how it looked how in a better light. Ron was acting like an idiot, pretending to drool all over Parvati, who was in a shocking pink dress robe, and Harry was looking adoringly at Lavender, who was in a purple one.

She sighed and picked up all the dresses, changing back into her original clothes, bought them all, and left the shop. Going outside, she suddenly got knocked over by someone moving very fast. "Oh, sorry," drawled a familiar voice, as she was helped onto her feet again. She looked Malfoy straight in the eyes and he was giving her an odd look. At first she thought he didn't recognise her, and she started to walk away, when he said, "you scrub up good for a Mud blood."

She looked at him quizzically, and at that moment the four lovers came out of the shop, totally blanking Hermione and giggling uncontrollably. Malfoy gave her a sympathetic look; "looks like your friends don't think so." 

"Shut up, Malfoy." She pushed past him and looked at her list, she had everything she needed now, except books. Flourish and Blotts wasn't far away so she went there to buy them. Whilst she was there, she ran into Mrs Weasley, who was helping Ginny find her books. When she saw Hermione she embraced her heartily. 

"Hermione! How are you? I was hoping I'd see you here. We've all missed you at the Burrow. Where are your parents?" Hermione explained about the new sweets. "Oh dear, that's a shame. Have you seen Ron and Harry yet?" Hermione replied that she hadn't. "Well, here they are now, and there's Parvati and Lavender with them, such nice girls." Before Hermione could get away, Mrs Weasley had called the others over and was talking to them all about how much she'd changed over the summer, and complimenting her streaked hair. 

Ron and Harry looked guiltily at each other, and agreed with her. Hermione smiled and excused herself, buying all the books she needed quickly and leaving the shop. Ron followed her out, "Hermione!" She stopped and turned round, unable to hold back the tears that were now flowing freely down her face. He smiled at her and looked at her properly. "I wouldn't have recognised you."

"I noticed," she gave him a cold look and then started to walk away again.

"What's your problem?" Ron grabbed her arm.

She slapped his arm away. "What's my problem? I'll tell you what my problem is. My problem is that my two best friends in the whole world have been blanking me all day because they were so absorbed in their girlfriends."

Ron looked hurt. "When did I blank you?"

Hermione laughed hysterically, "How about when I said hello to you by the sports shop? Or when you saw me at the café? But the time it really hurt was when you didn't even bother to show up at Gringotts at twelve." She wiped away her tears and stared at him.

His face was a mask of grief and desolation. "Hermione I'm so sorry, it was just that I was really busy with…"

"You're girlfriends? Yeah I saw. You and Harry were having chocolate milkshakes with them at our café. I can't believe you forgot me, I've been looking forward to meeting up with you for weeks." She turned away; she couldn't face him anymore she walked in the opposite direction as fast as she could.

"Wait, Hermione, we could still…"

She turned to face him but still walking backwards. "Go shopping? Don't worry I got all I needed on my own." With that she left Diagon Alley and went home. 


	3. The Head Boy

A/n: Just when you thought Hermione's life couldn't get any worse…

Chapter Three- Head Boy

As they filed out of the Great Hall after the feast, Hermione was tapped on the shoulder. Professor McGonagall smiled down at her. "This way, Head Girl." She followed her to the statue she recognised as the entrance to Professor Dumbledore's office. She tapped it with the wand and said "Liquorice Twisters", and the winding staircase appeared. She led Hermione up the stairs and through the door.

Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk chatting to a blonde boy. He looked up as they entered and beamed at Hermione. "Welcome, welcome, please come in and meet the Head Boy, Draco Malfoy." 

Draco turned round in his chair and their eyes met both just managing to cover up the infinite horror of what they were going to have to do.

"Never before have we had two students at Hogwarts such as you. Both of you got perfect marks across the board in your owls, and I'm sure neither of you have failed a test in your time here. Now, I'm sure you're aware that the Head Students must maintain a good working relationship, as they are to work together on many things. Because of this you have your own private common room and Bedrooms. I'm sure they will be to your liking. If you would follow me, I will take you to them now." 

He stood and walked out of the door, leaving them to follow. Malfoy sneered at her, and followed Dumbledore out of the room. She followed and they walked in silence, until they came to a stop by a statue, and Dumbledore spoke the password, "Einstein", then he turned to them, "Sleep Well."

They entered the common room and gasped. It was about four times as big as the Gryffindor common room and twice as high. The school emblem hung on a huge wall at the back and there were three doors. One was decorated in green and silver, the other in red and gold, which they took for the dormitories, the other was the bathroom. There was a huge table, with many chairs around it on one side of the room, and a fireplace with some comfortable-looking sofas and chairs at the other.

"I can't believe they stuck me with the Mudblood." Malfoy sneered as his gaze fell on her. "What do they take me for?" He flopped onto a nearby sofa and glared at her.

"I'm not exactly happy with this arrangement either, Malfoy, but we're going to have to live with it." She crossed her arms and looked about the room. "There's enough room in this place for us to live without being in each others way." 

Malfoy looked at her coldly, and then went into his room. Hermione sighed and went into the bathroom. There was a bath that was bigger than the prefects' bath, with twice as many taps. She quickly scanned the taps for her favourite soak, and soon the bath was full of pink bubbles. Slipping out of her clothes she sank into the hot bubbly water, the bubbles holding her weight. She breathed deeply into the scented bubbles, which smelled of ylang ylang, a smell that always soothed her.

Performing a summoning spell, she got out of the bath and caught the towel that was zooming towards her. She wrapped it around her and went out into the common room. Malfoy was sitting on a chair, reading a book. He looked up as she came into the room, and blushed.

"What?"

"Granger, if you insist on being in my eyesight, please wear the appropriate clothing." He looked at her, his eyes flitting from her wet hair to her exposed legs.

"Malfoy, to get to my room from the bathroom I have to come through the common room, so deal with it." She went into her room and slammed the door.

Her room was about half the size of the common room, but still twice as big as her old one. It had a rich red carpet and walls, and a gold dresser. The bed spread of her king size bed had the Gryffindor emblem on it and a full size mirror was made of solid gold. There was also a table and two chairs.

Taking in her new room, she went over to her trunk, which had been placed at the bottom of her bed, and pulled, out her night clothes, which consisted of some blue shorts and a matching spaghetti strap top. She put her matching blue dressing gown over the top and went back into the common room.

Malfoy was still sitting where he had before, reading his book, so she went over to the cupboard which was in front of the biggest sofa. What she saw made them both gasp.

The TV was bigger than Hermione and there were more channels than she could count. She looked back at Malfoy, who smirked and said, "I think I'm going to like it here.


	4. No Place For Hermione

AN: I finished reading the fifth book last night. Tsk! Three years of waiting and it took me one and a half days to read it! (Yes, I DO read that fast, test me on it.) Anyway, exams over and books read, I have time to really get down to some serious writing. My attention span on writing can get very short; I have no fewer than five completely different Draco/Hermione stories started that I haven't posted yet! I'll poet them when I'm satisfied with the two (or three???? No, two.) That is already there.

Disclaimer: Don't own it, don't want to (SO STOP WITH THE TELEPHONE CALLS JK ROWLING!!) 

Chapter four- No Place for Hermione

Hermione awoke early the next day, and went into the common room to find that four stacks had been placed on the table in the night. She went over to look at them and found that they were the timetables for the school, sorted into house, and then the years had been separated by elastic bands.

Malfoy came out of his bedroom, on the way to the bathroom, topless. Hermione smirked and said "Malfoy, if you insist on being in my eyesight, please wear appropriate clothing." He scowled at her and slammed the door to the bathroom behind him. "Okay, not a morning person." She said to herself, packing the timetables into her bag.

In the great hall that day, she and Ginny distributed the timetables for Gryffindor. As she gave Harry, Ron, Lavender and Parvati's theirs, Ron grabbed her arm. "Did you get my letters?"

Hermione thought of the unopened letters at the bottom of her trunk. She had received one every day since she had gone to Diagon alley. "Yeah."

"And?" He looked at her seriously.

She smiled at him sarcastically. "I'm sorry; I've been too busy to care about reading them." She dumped their timetables on the table and stalked off.

Because she had had to go and talk to Professor Dumbledore about her duties as Head Girl this year, she had been late to their first class, which was Defence against the Dark Arts. As she entered, she found that her usual table at the front next to Ron and Harry's has now occupied by Parvati and Lavender. They shrugged and smiled at her apologetically, as she stalked off to sit on her own at the back.

They were doing group work, and for the first time in her school life, she didn't work with Ron and Harry. Instead she worked with Dean, Seamus and Neville. She liked the boys, but they just didn't have the history of adventures that Harry and Ron had seemed to have forgotten with her.

After that lesson was Arithmancy. All the other Gryffindors had Divination, so she said goodbye to Seamus, Dean and Neville and Harry, Ron walked off without a second glance at her.

She wasn't hungry at lunch, and she didn't much fancy going into her common room, with the increased chances of meeting Malfoy, so she went for a walk in the grounds. The wind was strong but not cold, and the sun was shining brightly. She suddenly felt very lonely, and went to see Hagrid, who was delighted to see her.

"Head girl, eh?" he said, eyes shining with pride. She smiled and accepted the rock bun he offered her. She took a bite out of it gingerly; having almost broken her teeth on many dishes Hagrid had made, but found her teeth sank nicely into the warm, delicious cake. She complimented him on it and he blushed with pride, and started telling her about the cookery course he had been on in the summer.

Just as he was telling her the recipe for his new improved rock buns, Ron burst in through the door. "Hagrid have you seen…" he stopped as he saw Hermione, "it's alright, I've found her." 

"What do you want?" Hermione stood and crossed her arms. 

"To see you, I've hardly spoken to for months."

"Why now? Is Parvati at cheerleading practice or something?" She went to push past him, and saw Parvati, Lavender and Harry outside. Parvati's ears were red.

"FYI, I'm not a cheerleader." She glared at Hermione, who just scowled and stomped off.

Harry darted after her and grabbed her by the shoulders. "Hermione, we really miss you, please talk to us."

She looked at his mournful expression and sighed. "Fine, I'll hang with you for a while, but I have to go and do something before lunch ends, you know Head Girl stuff."

"Why didn't you tell us about that?" Said Ron, as the others walked over, Ron had his arm around Parvati and Harry wrapped his around Lavender as soon as she arrived at his side.

She flicked her newly straightened hair out of her eyes. "You weren't exactly around to tell. I didn't hear from either of you all summer."

Ron's ears went pink. "I'm sorry, we were just so busy, with, you know stuff." Parvati and Lavender giggled.

"Yeah, I get the picture." Hermione managed to suppress her urge to rip the giggly voice boxes out of the girls' throats.

"Err…So, what did you do over the summer?" Harry looked at her, as Lavender giggled into his shoulder.

"Nothing much…my homework, got my hair done, went shopping."

"I noticed, you look great!" Ron exclaimed, getting a hit from Parvati, who looked indignant. He smiled and kissed her neck, "nobodies as great-looking as me Perfect Parvati." She giggled and Hermione was almost sick.

Harry saw her annoyance and went on, "What else?"

"Nothing, I don't have any muggle friends so I sat alone in my house and read for two months." All the giggling stopped and everyone looked sympathetically at Hermione and guiltily at each other. "Look, this isn't working, nice of you to try, but there obviously isn't room for me in your lives. So I'm just going to go and leave you guys alone." She walked as fast as she could back to the castle.

"Hermione!" Ron called. "Later," she replied, and broke into full speed.


	5. Sympathy From Malfoy?

A/n: I have company!!! My best friend (and muse) Blondry has joined me to assist the writing of most (if not all) future fanfics. We have a joint venture coming out soon called Pansy's Potion. (I'm sure I told you this before…) anyway, it's our stab at humour and we are VERY twisted. Teehee. Well, enjoy.

Hermione's friends don't want her: '( oh well I'm sure Malfoy'll cheer her up.

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Chapter Five - Sympathy From Malfoy?!?!?!

Bursting through the door into the common room, Hermione found Crabbe, Goyle and Malfoy going through some plans. What they were, she didn't much care. Walking into her bedroom she slammed the door shut behind her.

"You'd better go." Malfoy led his henchmen to the door. After they had left, he picked up the book he was reading and settled down to read it. Half an hour or so later, Hermione emerged from her bedroom, mascara leaving big black marks on her cheeks.

He smirked at her and she scowled back, going into the bathroom to wash her face. Once she was clean again, she went into the common room and made herself a coffee using magic. Sipping the hot liquid, she sank into the armchair furthest away from Malfoy and stared into space.

A long and awkward silence lingered over the pair. "Do you want to talk about it?" Malfoy sounded bored.

"Not with you." She snapped.

Amusement sprang up in his eyes. "Let me guess, Potter and Weasel are blanking you in the presence of prettier girls." He raised his eyebrows, and her scowl confirmed his suspicions. "Well, that's what you get for hanging around the wrong sort of wizard." He returned to his book and turning the page uninterestedly.

"Shut up, Malfoy." She hissed. Staring at the floor.

"Oh please, anyone can see that they don't want you anymore." He looked up at her, raising his eyebrows. "I mean, they didn't even recognise you in Diagon alley. Even I could tell it was you." He resumed reading his book. "Of course, I could spot your dirty blood anywhere." 

"Shut up, Malfoy." She hissed again. Glaring at him she stalked off into her room and slammed the door shut.

Hermione lay down on the bedspread, a new wave of tears had invaded her body, and she didn't want _him _to see her cry.

It was true, all the stuff he had said. They had just dropped her for prettier girls. She played back the little scene outside where they had just stood there and ignored her. She hated them with a fury she only usually kept for Malfoy.

In her fury, she threw a pillow at the door, the same time the door opened. Luckily Hermione was a good aim; the pillow hit Malfoy in the chest.

He picked up the pillow and handed it back to her. "What do you want?" She snapped, hugging the pillow to her.

"To apologise." She raised her eyebrows in surprise. "I was only stating the obvious." He sat down on one of the chairs in her room. He looked uncomfortable. "I suppose that we should try to get along. It seems somewhere there is a fate laughing at me." He raised his eyes to the ceiling, then they fell back on her. "So, let's call a truce, a cease fire of sorts." She glared at him, "Oh come on Granger, I want to enjoy my last year at this castle. You heard what Dumbledore said, we will have to work closely together."

After a short silence, Hermione nodded once. "Good. Now, err… Hermione, I think lunch ends soon, so if you want to tidy yourself up, I think we have double potions together."

He was waiting for her as she came out of the bathroom. The bell went and they gathered their things and left the common room together.

As Hermione entered the classroom, four people signalled to her. Harry and Ron indicated the empty seat between them, and Parvati and Lavender smiled, each sitting the other side of the respective boyfriends.

"That's the last place I'd want to sit if I was you," Draco came up behind her and whispered in her ear, placing his hands lightly on her hips, just to see the reaction of the weasel. She nodded and glared at her old friends, before following Draco to the back of the room and sitting next to him, amongst the slytherins.

"What's she sitting with him for?" The flush started in Ron's ears and spread slowly across his face, his nose going redder than the rest, where the two flushes met.

Malfoy smirked at the boys. He never knew that something as simple as being on good terms with a discarded friend could anger Weasel so much. Maybe there was some future in this living arrangement after all.

Bringing the know-it-all Gryfindor into the Slytherin midst shocked the other Slytherins. Deciding that Malfoy had brought her to them so they could torment her quietly, the Slytherins turned around and smirked. A warning scowl hit the Slytherins, and they all backed off immediately. Malfoy was beginning to see the profit in keeping the girl around.


	6. Similar Plans

Short but important chapter for you. Thank to everyone who has reviewed (I hope you can read this before you go to Venice Belle, I'm sorry it's not longer!) here ya go.

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Chapter Six - Similar Plans

That night Hermione smiled into her pillow, imagining Ron's face. Her being with Malfoy infuriated him; it was the perfect revenge. It would be easy to start a rumour about herself and Malfoy, but they lived together, just like every other Head Boy and Girl had, and there were always rumours about the happenings behind the statue.

She'd have to get him to like her, somehow. They seemed to have hit it off pretty well so far, but that was because each was trying to be civil to the other. To make this plan worked she'd have to get him to like her. More than like; she shuddered at the very thought of it. But she wouldn't have to touch him, just make it appear like she did.

Then Ron and Harry will know just how it feels to be discarded, even better because their reaction to her and Malfoy would be priceless.

She rolled over and shut her eyes, smiling at the plan unfolding her in brain.

Malfoy lay on his bed and smirked as he recalled the look Weasel had given him. Who knew the Mudblood meant anything to him? Well, he would play that to his advantage. Weasel probably spent the rest of the day ranting about him and Hermione. Well good, it would give Malfoy more time to enjoy his fury.

The added bonus was that if Weasel and Potter hadn't pushed Hermione away in the first place, she wouldn't have to go anywhere near him. So it was their own fault she found someone else. He smirked to himself as the plan laid itself around him. He would just have to pretend he had fallen for her, she's so insecure that she would jump at the chance for a boyfriend. Then the fun begins...

The next day, Hermione rose early, needing to take a bath before breakfast. Draco was already up.

"Morning, Hermione." He gave her one of his calm, calculating looks. "Did you sleep well?" His eyes lit up with genuine curiosity. 

Hermione was almost knocked back with surprise. "Very," he smiled at her. "And you?"

"Like a log." His grin became a bit toothier as she turned and walked into the bathroom.

"This is going to be easier than I thought." Hermione grinned to herself as she shut the door.

Malfoy stared at the shut door; "This is going to be easier than I thought."


	7. Plans in Action

Disclaimer: I might be JK Rowling, and have set up my own account on FF.net to please you all but why would I admit to it? No, sadly, I'm not. If I were JK Rowling, Hermione and Draco would be a lot more obsessively mean to each other, then run off together in the seventh book. Sorry, I'm not, I'm angelbreaker, and I have a lot more things to do than write amazing books.

A/N: Writer's block is very annoying. I have ideas and I wish I could just spit them out, but noooo I have to sit here and glare at my keyboard until Blondry pokes me with her metal stick (yes she has a musing stick…strange girl our Blondry…)::Mwah:: 

Just to warn you: I may not be updating this fic very regularly, I'm finding it difficult to keep on track with it. Don't worry I'll still write it occasionally, but for now, go and read Hermione's New Self, because I'm putting all my efforts into that one for the time being, after I've finished it I'll move onto this one. 

Sheer curiosity made me see exactly how many Dr/Herm fics I have half written, and it's amazing, I will be working hard this summer

Read on and Review!

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Chapter Seven - Plans in Action

Malfoy waited for her patiently. When she finally came out of the bathroom, she was clean, dry and ready to go. Malfoy mentally wolf whistled, for a Mudblood; she really _did _scrub up well. He widened his grin, just another bonus to the plan.

He offered his arm, and she took it, walking down to the hall together.

As they entered the Great Hall, arm in arm, nearly everyone stared at them. Malfoy smirked at all the astonished faces and whispered to Hermione. She giggled and nodded and they left to sit at their house tables. 

Ginny kept staring at Hermione as if her hair had turned bright pink. They were sitting as far away as possible from Harry and Ron, who kept glancing down the table at her and sharing hurried whispers. Hermione smiled to herself, it was perfect, and revenge will be sweet.

After breakfast, they had transfiguration with the Ravenclaws. Harry and Ron approached her in the corridor; Lavender and Parvati hung back a little. 

"Hermione, what's going on with you and Malfoy." Ron's voice was almost trembling with suppressed rage. "I swear if he did anything-"

"Draco and I are Head Boy and Girl, did you expect me to not talk to him." She cocked her head and shot him an inquisitive look. 

"I expected you to not walk around arm in arm with 'Draco' and him whispering in your ear!" Ron's face was going slightly pink.

"What did he say to you?" Harry's jade eyes were full of suspicion.

"It was about one of our duties." Said Hermione, colouring a little deliberately and looking to the floor.

"You're lying." Ron squinted at her, as if trying to find the real Hermione under this Malfoy-tolerator. "What were his exact words?"

"None of your business." She snapped. Their conversation was cut short, because McGonagall came out to start the lesson.

Ron, Harry, Lavender and Parvati retired to their usual seats. Hermione sighed and sat in the only other free seat. She laid her head on the table, and stared into the distance while thinking about what else she could say and do to make Ron and Harry wild with envy.

"Wow…" Said Ron, amazed "Hermione is being really quiet- she hasn't answered a question all lesson."

"I know. Do you think she's sick?"

"Maybe she's just thinking about a certain boy." Parvati replied, making Ron's ears go slightly pink.

After the lesson, Ron and Harry quickly packed up their stuff and followed her out of the classroom. Malfoy was standing just outside, and wrapped his arm around Hermione's waist, as they walked off, without a second glance.

"What is up with her and Malfoy?" Ron slammed his fist against the wall.

"They are probably just talking about work." Parvati huffed. "Ron," she smiled sweetly at her boyfriend. "You know the hogsmeade trip next Saturday…" She battered her eyelashes.

"What about it?" Ron drew his glare from the retreating couple to her, then at her hurt expression, smiled apologetically. "Sorry, of course we're going."

Parvati squealed and bounced up and down with Lavender. When they turned back to the boys, they found them still staring at the corridor Hermione had disappeared through. They gave each other significant glances and wrapped their arms around the boys. "Come on, we have to get to divination."

"Well, this is my stop." Hermione leaned against the wall next to the door to the Arithmancy. Draco smiled at her and moved in a little closer. He could see her eyes light up as he did it. Stupid girl, a joke here, a compliment there, and she's yours for life. Geez.

"Well, I've got Herbology, so I'll catch you later." He held a finger to her lips and smiled, she returned the smile and he left. Hermione rolled her eyes at his retreating back. This was so easy, a giggle here, a smile there, he's practically all over you. She shook her head and walked into the classroom.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Yo, Draco," a female voice sounded behind him. He turned round and saw Blaise Zambini and smiled.

"'Sup, Blaise." She walked up to him and they high-fived. Blaise was a certified tomboy, and one of Draco's best friends. She had a kick-ass attitude and was the only person he'd admit was better than him at quidditch. 

"Nothing much, just hanging. The common room is so boring without you man." She punched him on the arm.

He rubbed his arm and said, "Sorry." They began to walk towards the greenhouses together.

"That's all right, I'm itching to see your new crib though." She looked at him and then continued. "Hey, Draco…"

"What?" He looked up at her and their eyes met.

"What's going on with you and Granger? I thought you hated the Mudblood, word is your getting really friendly-like with her."

Draco laughed. "Don't worry I'm just screwing with her. You should see how much it pisses off her friends, though."

Blaise laughed. "It's pissed Pansy off no end. She slaps anyone who even dares to speak your name." Blaise snorted with laughter.

"Glad to hear it." Draco smiled at his friend. Blaise and him had been buddies since they went to wizard pre-school together. They hardly ever hung around at school now though, with one thing and another. Mostly Pansy being jealous of her. 

"But I got to hand to it you, she's eating out of the palm of your hand."

"It was so easy, I feel sorry for her, I really do. The poor girl is so self-conscious she jumps at every compliment. If I knew she was this easy earlier…" he raised his eyebrows at his friend.

"But you hate the girl. She's a know-it-all, muggle-born, Gryfindor!" Blaise counted off the offending traits on her fingers and thrust the three digits in his face.

"Yeah, but she is hot." He concluded, pushing her hand out of his face with a smile. Blaise shot him a look, but couldn't say anything else, because they'd reached the greenhouses.

A/N: I like Blaise, in most fics she's a pansy groupie, but that doesn't befit her. Anyway, review now, flames will be read and taken into account, because frankly, I don't like this chapter much either…it's going to get a lot better though.


	8. TV Troubles

A/N: All I can say is …oops… I haven't updated since July… But I have been very busy with stuff…like college and work and stuff… so forgive me…

The good news is im going to be updating this a lot more, because I want it done so that I can concentrate on HNS2. Okie, enjoy, bye

****

Chapter Eight - TV Troubles

After supper that evening, Hermione made her way back to the head's common room with a smile. The whole plan was working out so well, Malfoy had fallen for her act in two seconds, and Ron and Harry were fuming. She smiled as she thought of their faces when she had walked off with Malfoy after transfiguration.

Sighing, she continued up the corridor to the statue. She hadn't seen Malfoy since he walked her to Arithmancy, checking her make-up in her compact mirror, she opened the statue and walked inside.

She found Malfoy sitting on the sofa with his arms crossed, scowling at the TV, which was switched off. Smirking, she walked over to him, sitting next to him. He turned to look at her for a second, then returned his scowl to the TV again without a word.

"Draco?" She said innocently. He looked at her again, but then once again returned his gaze to the blank screen. "Draco, you do know that the TV is off, right?" She gestured to the screen.

"I am aware of that, thank you Hermione." He said stiffly.

"Okay, this is a muggle invention, so I'll let you off." She picked up the remote. "You see, this is a remote, a sort of muggle TV wand." She said, as if talking to a toddler. "You push this button on, and the TV comes to life." She pushed the red 'on' button and a news report about a fire flickered onto the TV. 

Draco jumped a little at the noise, then smirked at her. "I do know what a TV is, Hermione." He said carefully. "But what do you need for a TV to work?" He said in the same patronising tone.

She looked confused for a second then realisation dawned. "Electricity…"

"Well done." He waved his wand and the screen flickered, then went blank. "I want to know how it works in Hogwarts."

"Why?" She said stupidly. Draco sighed.

"Because, then, Granger, I would be able to use whatever charm it is to make other things run off electricity." He rolled his eyes.

"But electricity is a muggle thing, I'm surprised you even know about it."

"Wizards use it too." He said, rolling his eyes at her. "What do you think we run our appliances off of?"

"Magic?" He scowled at her and went over to the TV.

"If we could use magic to power electrical appliances, wouldn't you think that everyone would bring their CD players to school?" 

"Wizards have CD players?" Hermione was surprised.

Draco sighed, and shook his head. Returning to the TV he said. "Look, just help me, will you?" 

"Fine." She stood up and joined him next to the TV. "Let's have a look at the inside, shall we?" She pointed her wand at the TV and simply said, "disassemble." The TV immediately burst apart, each individual piece hanging separately in the air. Hermione frowned and lay down on the floor, propping herself up by her elbows so she could see all the pieces properly.

Draco on the other hand, was amazed. Each tiny part was slowly spinning and moving around in the gentle air currents, but not too far. He looked down at the girl to see her frowning as she inspected the components. He felt his heart tremor a bit as he took in the way her softly streaked hair fell in a wave and then laying on the floor behind her. Her look was of deep concentration. Draco joined her on the floor and stared up at the debris.

"I don't see anything that looks different…" he turned his head to inspect the pieces behind him.

Hermione rolled onto her side and looked at him, smiling. Slightly confused he rolled over so that they were facing each other, looking into one another's eyes. He made himself smirk as he saw the expression; she really was into him, naïve bitch. But the cutting mental insults he'd been throwing silently at her all day had lost their edge, all of a sudden. He rolled back onto his back and pretended to inspect the pieces, just so he didn't have to look into her eyes.

"What about this?" She rolled onto her front and pushed herself onto her feet, then strolled casually to a section on small components. She lifted her hand and one of them slowly edged towards her, gently grasping it, and then she returned to the floor, sitting cross-legged. He rolled over onto his side again and propped his head up to get a better look at what she was holding.

There were about five of them in all, no bigger than his thumbnail. They were deep blue, shining by some Inner Light. "What are they?"

He looked up to the look of concentration on Hermione's face, which had a look of concentration that was so intense that he smiled, she looked adorable. She really did have that cute thing going for her; lucky he wasn't into that. He shook his head and sat up.

"I think they are some kind of stored energy, that acts like electricity." Without looking up, she waved her wand and the TV assembled itself again, flying back into the cabinet. Still looking at the crystals, she stood and said "I'll catch up with you later, I'm gonna go research in the library." With her gaze still locked on the deep blue lights, she walked briskly out of the door and along the corridor.

"That girl is weird," Draco shook his head and headed into his bedroom.


	9. Music Mayhem

An: I hate this chapter so much… but it needed to happen so there. Don't complain about the bands either, they were just the bands that happened to be playing on my computer whilst I wrote this.

I haven't been writing this much, but I WILL finish it. SO there

Thanks to everyone who read this first, and have come back to it, I gonna do a hall of fame one of these days for you guys. See ya later.

****

Chapter Nine - Music Mayhem

"Draco, you're gonna love me!" Two hours later an excited Hermione burst in through the common room door, surprising Draco, who was reading quietly by the fire.

"Who says I don't already?" He looked at her evenly, as she turned pink and smiled coyly at him. Inwardly he smirked. Yup, a compliment thrown in here and there, and she is yours for life.

She shook her head, her hair fanning out around her. "I've done it!" She held up a vial of blue liquid triumphantly. 

Draco sat up and stared at the liquid. It was exactly the same colour as the crystals they had found earlier… She grinned at him and pulled out her wand. "Accio, CD player." Her CD player came flying out of her room.

Draco looked at her quizzically. "You actually brought your CD player to school? Even though you couldn't use it?"

Hermione shrugged and smiled. "Security blanket." She shook her head again. "You've distracted me, why do you insist on distracting me?" She crouched by the coffee table where the CD player stood and opened the vial. Draco came and crouched down next to her.

"What do you have to do?" He was sitting so close she could feel his breath on her ear, which sent shivers, down her spine. She shook the sensation away and brought a dropper out of her pocket.

"Just two drops should do it." She opened the battery door of the CD player and dropped two small drops of the liquid onto the batteries. Nothing happened. They stood up, disappointed. "I'll keep looking." She started for the door.

"Wait." Draco reached out and grabbed her arm. He pointed to the top of the player, where a red light was flashing.

Hermione had never smiled so much, she pushed the button marked "play" and The Offspring started blaring out of the speakers. She looked to Draco, who looked at if he was going to explode. 

"Yes!" He picked her up and twirled her round. "Every student in the year has been trying to solve the mystery for six years, but the Granger girl does it in two hours." He said as he spun her above his head. She giggled as she looked down at him.

As he danced he felt a strange sensation. Hermione looked gorgeous with her hair falling either side of her face and giggling. He didn't know when he'd seen anything so beautiful, her hair set off her eyes, and he could get lost in those deep chocolate whirlpools. He stopped dancing, and lowered her until her face was just above his own, but her feet did not touch the ground, her slight weight nothing to him as he was taken over by an unfamiliar emotion. He held her at arm's length; her hair brushing his arms and sending tingles through his body. The beating of his heart drowned even the music out. He felt as if he was floating, just looking into her eyes.

Hermione looked down into Draco's eyes, their steely grey looked so cold, so harsh, but she could see through that layer from this angle, she could see the silver lining underneath the clouds of grey, it looked so inviting. She didn't know what he was doing, just standing there, but somehow she was glad he hadn't let her go. She could feel him breathing heavily as she looked down into his eyes, her hands resting lightly on his shoulders.

_No._ Draco thought as his senses fought for control. It's Granger, know-it-all Mudblood Gryfindor. You don't want her, you're just happy that the stupid bitch has a purpose, that finally you'll be able to listen to music and make popcorn. 

Most of him believed this, as he slowly lowered her onto her feet. His hands were still on her waist and her hands were on his shoulders. The last notes of Original Prankster faded away and a slow song started. Draco didn't know who it was by, but it sounded like that band from America, The Calling. He smiled inwardly, what irony.

Hermione shot him a smile and looked towards the CD player, more so she wouldn't have to look into Draco's eyes then anything, a slow song, how embarrassing to be in the arms of _Draco Malfoy _when a slow song struck up. Not knowing quite what to do, she started to pull away from him, only to find a large part of herself resisting. Hesitating, she cursed herself. 'You're trying to get him to like you, pulling away doesn't give the right impression.' She convinced herself that was the reason she didn't want to pull away.

Just before she forced herself to pull away and shut herself in her room, Draco pulled her towards him and wrapped his arms around her. The resisting part of her suddenly relaxed and she rested her head on his shoulder, as he swayed them from side to side to the music. She shut her eyes and took a deep breath, letting go of all the confusion and angst inside her, he smelt sharp and tangy, and she breathed deeply into the scent, focusing on it.

Draco fought with himself. A huge part of him refused to let her go as he held her tight to his chest. He felt her sigh and relax into him, burying her head in his neck. They swayed slowly to the music. She lifted her head and looked up to him and their eyes met, as if in a dream, Draco started to move his lips closer to hers, and she did the same. Just before their lips brushed, the CD player, with its perfect timing as always, started blaring out a fast loud song by Blink-182, the couple sprang apart at the noise and smiled sheepishly at each other.

Draco couldn't understand what was happening Hermione was standing just a metre away from him, looking anywhere but him. A metre had never seemed so far away, all he wanted to do was close the gap, but he didn't, instead he coughed and faked a yawn.

"Well, it's late." 

"Yes it is," Hermione replied eagerly, but still not meeting his gaze.

"I'm going to bed now," Hermione nodded and shut the CD player off with a flick of her wand. 

"Night," she said, before they both almost ran to their separate dorms.

Well, there ya go, I'll prolly up date this tomorrow but I may not seeming as my brother's friends are coming to do a film shoot here (he's doing film at Uni) and he always wants me in his films as the really hard parts, like the zombie, or the stupid girl who has to run and jump over crap on a steep slope, then be kill by badgers… anyway, see ya.


	10. Aftermath

Very short chapter here…Just because I wanted it to be short really.  I could have prolonged it, but I don't really want to.

SORRY ABOUT THE UPDATE TIME…I'LL GIVE YOU ALL THE CHAPTERS I WROTE TO SAY SORRY

Chapter Ten - The Aftermath 

Hermione ran into her room and shut the door, leaning against it with her eyes shut.  Could it be?  Did he… like her?  She ran to the bed and jumped onto it, snatching up her diary and writing a detailed account of the happenings.  At the end she added:

_This is what I wanted all along, for Draco to like me so I could use him to get at Harry and Ron for ignoring me, but now I think I have succeeded, it feels…different.  Maybe I should go out with him for real._

_I know he was my enemy for six years, but Harry and Ron have been my friends for the exact same amount of time, and look at how they are treating me._

_Oh god, I think I love Draco Malfoy.  It's just like that line in Romeo and Juliet 'My only love sprang from my only hate'.  It doesn't hurt that he's the best looking guy in school._

_I was completely wrong about him, I see that now.  He's a nice guy you just have to get on the right side of him.  He's clever, caring and so good looking.  I think I will go out with him._

Hermione read this back to herself with a small smile on her lips, then she closed her book and put it pack in the drawer, and got ready for bed.

*****************

"Oh god," Draco shut the door to his room and paced up and down.  "What have you gotten yourself into, boy?"  He said to himself.  Scorning himself as his father used to always comfort him in time of extreme stress, and boy, was he under extreme stress.

"Okay, so you live with the Mudblood, you decide it would be cool to mess her around a bit, drive her friends crazy, and it works."  He said to himself as he paced the room, then he added, flopping onto the bed, "now you're falling for her."

He shut his eyes and tried to block the mental image that was engraved in his brain of her eyes and her hair brushing against his cheeks.

"Maybe this is a good thing."  Draco told himself.  "She seems to like you too, so you can fuck her around then dump her, leaving her destroyed too."  He nodded to himself, but part of him was unconvinced.  He had grown closer to Hermione then anyone else at the school, bar Blaise, and really didn't want to mess her around like that.  It was when it meant nothing, but now it was hitting a little too close to home.

            A few minutes thinking over the possible plans of action later, he decided the best way to go about things was to ignore her and deny anything happened last night.  He nodded to himself again, that would be better.


	11. Avoidance

Hm… I don't like this chapter at all…But Hermione has to be annoyed with him, so read it and move on.

Chapter Eleven – Avoidance 

            The next morning, Hermione got up extra early and made sure she looked perfect for Draco.  She sighed as she looked into the mirror of her vanity desk, her thoughts of him had turned into dreams of him, and she never knew love could take you so quickly.  She stared at herself in the mirror, wondering when she became so obsessed with her looks, but then shook her head, whatever it took for Draco to like her.

            Humming to herself, she entered the common room, there was still an hour until breakfast, so she had plenty of time to finish her homework.

            About ten minutes later, Draco came slamming into the room in his usual morning attire, his underwear.  Hermione shook her head and smiled.

            "Morning Draco," but Draco just slammed into the bathroom without even acknowledging her.  This hurt Hermione a bit but she bit back the pain, "he's never been a morning person, when he comes out of the bathroom he will be a totally different person."

            But when Draco came out of the bathroom, he was even worse.  

            "Morning Draco," Hermione smiled at him, "Did you sleep well?"  But to this question she got no answer, not even a nod.  Draco didn't even look at her as went into his own room, dressed, and then left.  "Draco, breakfast isn't for half an hour!"  Hermione called, but Draco had left.

            "Huh," Placing her quill on the table, she picked up the blue liquid that she had made the night before.  "What's up with him?"

***

Hermione tried to catch Draco's eye all through breakfast, but he didn't even look her way, he looked as if he was having an intimate conversation with Blaise Zambini.  She left for Care of Magical Creatures totally crushed.

This year, the Gryffindors had Care of Magical Creatures with Ravenclaw, which was a gift to them, as all other six years had been with the Slytherin, but it meant Hermione would have to wait until that evening to talk to Draco.

Not wanting to join the celebrations of a no-slytherin class, Hermione slumped against the wall of Hagrid's hut and sighed.

"Cheer up, it's Friday tomorrow," said a joking Irish voice.  She looked up and saw Seamus standing in front of her.  "What's the matter?"

"Nothing."  Hermione mumbled, wanting him to go away.

"Is it them four?"  Seamus sat down next to her and pointed at her old friends. The boys were doing there impression of the time when Draco was turned into a ferret, nearly three years ago.  None of them looked her way.

"No," she said truthfully.  In fact, she hadn't thought about them since yesterday lunch, she had been so wrapped up in her thoughts of Draco.

"Is it Malfoy?  Has he been being ….a slytherin at you?"  Seamus looked at her seriously.

"Well, sort of…"  Hermione conceded.

"Do you want me and Dean to beat him up for you?"  Seamus' eyes twinkled and Hermione laughed.

"No, no, it's not that serious, it's just…."

"a lover's tiff?"  Seamus looked at the ground.

"No, me and Draco aren't an item."  Hermione replied.  '_yet__.'_ She added mentally.

"Then why worry about him."  Hermione nodded and smiled.  Seamus got to his feet and held out his hand to help her up.  "Do you want to be my partner?  I heard we've got a big project this year for our NEWTs.  I could use someone of your intellectual level to assist me."

"Sure." It was true, Seamus had progressed a lot since fourth year, he was a serious contender for Head Boy.  Hermione grinned, and Seamus jokingly put his arm around her shoulders, as they joined the group that was gathering around Hagrid.

***

Draco wandered into the common room that evening, looking around to see if Hermione was there, but she wasn't.  Breathing a sigh of relief, he flopped on the sofa and shut his eyes.  He had been avoiding her all day, and it was killing him.  All lunch and break he had hidden in the slytherin common room with Blaise, but he can't hide there forever, there was a much bigger risk in seeing Pansy.

"Draco, is that you?"  Hermione came out of her room and Draco cursed under his breath.  No avoiding her now.

"Yeah, it's me."  He sat up and smiled at her, and mentally kicked himself for doing it, because she looked even more beautiful as she smiled back.

"Where have you been all day?"  She flopped down next to him and he breathed in her scent as she did so.

"No where."  He sighed, trying to resist the urge to do anything stupid.

"Come on, you just, stopped existing?"  Hermione smiled at him again and cocked her head to one side.

"No, I just, haven't been anywhere."

"Really?  Oh and here's me thinking you were avoiding me."  She stretched out her arms and yawned.  Draco coughed and stood up.  "What's the matter, Draco?"  Hermione stood also and walked closer to him, looking straight into his eyes.

"Nothing," he staggered backwards, half of him screaming 'kiss her you fool!' another part of him forcing him away.

"Oh," Hermione flopped back onto the sofa and hunched her knees.  She looked so utterly depressed that Draco flopped down next to her again.  Her hair fell down over her face, and he reached up and tucked it behind her ear.  It was silky under his touch, and sent tingles down his fingers.  He shifted a little further away from her on the sofa, and pretended to be examining the arm of it.

"Draco, tell me what's wrong."  Hermione shifted closer to him, until they were almost touching.  Draco sprang from the sofa again.

"Look I told you, nothing.  Leave me alone" He snapped, she stood and glared at him.

"Fine.  There is something wrong, and if you don't want to tell me, then we aren't as good friends as I thought we were so I will leave you alone, goodbye."  She stormed off into her bedroom, leaving him kicking himself.


	12. Jealousy

Long chapter here…Kinda weird, I have just this second decided that Seamus and Hermione made a really cute couple just now, and that Hermione is a total bitch.  Enjoy.

Chapter Twelve – Jealousy 

The next morning, Hermione woke early and left the common room after a quick wash and change, wanting to stay as far away from Draco as possible.  She had no real direction, breakfast wasn't for an hour at least.  Almost on automatic pilot, she found herself outside the Gryffindor Common room.

Sighing, she entered, to find it surprisingly busy.  Ron and Harry were all over their girls, and Ginny was sitting by the fire, stroking Crookshanks.  Dean and Seamus were sitting in the other corner, playing chess.  When Seamus saw her, he gave her a lop sided grin and beckoned to her.  She pulled up a chair to their table.

"Alright, Hermione?"  Dean smiled at her, but frowned as Seamus' bishop destroyed his knight. 

"What are you all doing up so early?  I was expecting the common room to be empty."  She looked around at the assembled crowd.

"Just got back from a Quidditch practice, seemed no point in going back to bed.  Since Harry became the captain we've all been doing early morning practices."  He scowled at his friend as his Queen was taken.  "Says it'll quicken our reflexes if we practice half asleep."

"Of course…"  Hermione looked around the room.  Lavender, Parvati and Ginny were the Gryffindor chasers, Ron's goalkeeping skills had improved greatly, Harry was seeker and Seamus and Dean had taken up the places of beaters last year.  She watched the game in silence.

"Checkmate."  Dean grinned at his beaten friend and Seamus shook his head.

"It's way too early to play this game."  He pushed his chair back and grinned at Hermione.  "So what brings you to the wonders of the common room?"  Hermione shrugged.

"Draco wasn't awake, and anyway, I wanted to talk to some Gryffindors for a change."  She shook her head.  "You just can't get the conversations with a Slytherin."  Seamus looked at her seriously.

"Is he still giving you a hard time? Because me and Dean would be only too happy to sort him out for you."  Dean cracked his knuckles in agreement. Hermione laughed.

"No, no, I don't think he deserves that treatment just yet."  Seamus gave her another gorgeous lop sided grin.

"Well, compromise, come to breakfast with us."  He stood and helped her to her feet, taking her arm, Dean promptly took the other.  

"You're on."  Hermione nodded, and the three left for the great hall.  Throughout the meal, Hermione was laughing uncontrollably.  It seemed that Seamus and Dean had become quite the double act in her absence.  She wondered why she never noticed them before.  Not once through History of Magic, did Hermione think about Draco, or Ron and Harry.  At lunch, Dean took his leave of them.

"Where's he going?"  Hermione asked, slightly disappointed.   Seamus shrugged.

"He's dating Hannah Abbott in Hufflepuff."  Hermione nodded, a little disheartened, another person with a love life.  "Why the long face?  Am I not good enough for you?"  Seamus faked a sad face and Hermione hit him.  

"Of course you are." Placing her hand on his chest, flirting jokingly, she looked down the corridor, and saw Draco coming out of Arithmancy.  He looked her way, saw Seamus and looked ahead immediately, wearing a strange expression.  Hermione watched him round the corner, then she turned back to Seamus.  

****

All the way through Arithmancy, Hermione doodled on her notepad, thinking about the look that Draco had given her in the corridor.  What was it, a hint of jealousy?  Just because she with another boy?  Had she found the way in to him?  She could use the green eyed monster to her advantage.  Train it and use it for her bidding.  Ignoring Professor Vector entirely, a whole new plan formed into her head.

****

Seamus was waiting for her outside her classroom when the class was let out.  She smiled at him, and he grinned back.  As they walked around the corner, Hermione was sure she saw Draco out of the corner of her eye.  Well, let him follow her, it is his own fault.

She spent the whole of the lunch hour with Seamus, and they walked together to the dungeons for potions.  When they got there, Seamus was talking animatedly about the up coming Quidditch World Cup, and how Ireland was sure to win, hands down.  Hermione wasn't exactly interested in the topic, but at least he wasn't ignoring her, so she listened attentively and laughed at the jokes.  When they got to the classroom, she found Draco was there already and she leant against the wall a little way away from him, still in deep conversation.  Now they were discussing their project on Pixies that had been set.  She rested her hand on his arm and smiled at him, trying not to look at Draco.

When Snape let the class in, Hermione took her leave of Seamus and went to sit with Draco, who was doing his best to look casual.

"I see you and Finnigan are getting on well."  He said uninterestedly, unpacking his things, a hot feeling in his stomach forcing him to talk to her.

"Yeah, Seamus is really funny and enjoys spending time with me."  Hermione answered with a hint of spite, watching Draco's reaction carefully.  She glanced at Seamus, who looked up at her and gave her another of his lop sided grins.  Hermione smiled back.  Draco slammed his book on the table, causing Hermione's ink pot to tremble.  "Watch it."  She reached put to steady the offending item.

"Let's just get on with the lesson, shall we?"  They spent the next ten minutes in silence.  Seamus passed their table, on his way to the store cupboard.  As he passed, he slipped a note into Hermione's hand.  Hermione opened it and giggled, on his return journey, Seamus winked at her.

For the next few minutes they got on in silence.

"So, what did the note say?"  Draco kept his voice in monotone.

"Nothing," Hermione answered.

"You found it pretty funny just now."  He returned.

"It's an inside joke."  Hermione replied, quickly scribbling a note and passing it to Dean, who had passed their table.  Dean handed it to Seamus when he sat down.  Seamus chuckled and gave Hermione thumbs up.

"Fine, have your funny, funny inside joke."  Draco sighed, and filled a beaker with their potion, taking it up to the desk to be marked.

"What's up now?"  Ron whispered to Harry.  "Is Hermione going out with Seamus or Malfoy?"  Harry narrowed his eyes at the brunette, giggling softly as she packed up her desk.

"I don't know, it's not like her."

As Draco returned to his desk, he asked calmly, "Are you headed back to the common room?"

"Yep, are you?"  Dumbly, Draco nodded, knowing this wasn't fitting in with his plan. A wave of malicious delight hit Hermione as Draco glanced at the dishy Irishman, so the boy was possessive, eh?  Well, she wasn't finished yet.

As they passed Seamus' table, Hermione linked arms with the boy, who only too happily joined them.  Draco looked at Seamus and Hermione cocked her head to one side.

"Didn't I tell you?  Seamus and I are care of magical creatures partners, we have a big assignment to do."  She looked up at Seamus, who sighed, then chuckled when he caught her eye.

Draco didn't know what to do, so he pretended it didn't affect him, and just nodded.  Hermione was somewhat put off by this, but pretended she didn't care.  When they reached the common room, Draco decided the best thing to do would be to settle into a chair and immerse himself in a book, which he did, to an extent.  To all outside observers, Draco was merely reading a book, but he was really listening to every word that was said.  When he couldn't take any more giggling, or catching them touching out the corner of his eye, he casually stood up, snapped his book shut and meandered into his bedroom, closing the door with a soft click.

            Hermione watched him go out of the corner of her eye and raised her tone adequately.

            Draco lay on his bed, and listened to the laughter and conversation happening in the common room, feeling utterly depressed.  Things couldn't have turned out better, but he was still completely gutted.  He shook his head and sighed, it was his own fault Hermione was after Finnigan.  He should have taken his chances and asked her out, but he didn't.  As he stood, he heard Finnigan saying goodbye, and decided to venture out into the common room to talk to Hermione.  

            "Bye 'Mione."   Seamus said, and Hermione smiled at him.  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Draco's door open, Draco wandered out looking completely unconcerned, but was that the flicker of a glance she saw?  "Hermione?"  Seamus smiled at her as she stood in a daze, and Hermione blinked and shook her head, smiling up at him.  'I'll give you something to glance at,' she thought.

            She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Seamus' neck pulling him into a deep kiss.  He responded eagerly and wrapped his arms around her waist.  When they broke apart, she said "Bye Seamus," and a rather dazed but happy Irishman took his leave of them.

            Acting casual, Hermione pulled her shirt down where it had ridden up slightly and turned to Draco, who had abandoned all pretence of not caring and was staring open mouthed at her.  "Yes?"  She asked, cocking her head to one side and raising her eyebrows, feeling very much like Bridget Jones in that movie.  She strode past him into the other side of the room and gathered her stuff up in a pile.

            "What's going on with you and Finnigan?"  He asked, his voice failing to sound casual.  "Do you like him?"

            "Well, you know he likes me and I like him, so I thought I'd go for it."  Draco crossed his arms and smiled knowingly at his friend.

            "You sure you're not just trying to compete with Harry and Ron?  You could do so much better then Seamus Finnigan."

            "Who else would want me?  I'm just a bookworm Gryffindor, all I was was Harry and Ron's friend.  Now I'm nothing."  She crossed her arms and looked to the ground, her plan worked and Draco placed his hands on her shoulders and said softly "You're not nothing."

            Hermione's smile was hidden by her hair, he was hooked, all she had to do was reel him in.


End file.
